Hand tool for assembling open, bowed-body retaining rings having locking prongs in shaft or spindle grooves

ABSTRACT

A hand tool mounts plier-like handles at one end of its elongated body member operative through a force-multiplying leverage system to actuate a reciprocatory slide member throughout a working stroke. Said slide member mounts at its relatively forward end ring-grip means effective to spring-grip an open, bowed-body, spring retaining ring having locking prongs projecting from the convex side or face thereof, against the relatively under-face or side of the tool body member, then acting as an extended-length fixed grip jaw. Thus, as the slide member is actuated throughout its working stroke the gripped ring is correspondingly projected (thrust) along a straight-line path terminating in the groove of a shaft or spindle in which said ring is to be assembled. Means are provided for preventing any uncontrolled turning of the ring about its axis during the course of its aforesaid movement with the slide member, and the body member is further provided in its relatively forward end portion with an eye-form shaft or spindle receiving opening. Groovelocating means affixed to the under side of the body member extend into said opening.

nited Sta'tes Patent [191 Erdmann 1 HAND TOOL FOR ASSEMBLING OPEN,

BOWED-BODY RETAINING RINGS HAVING LOCKING PRONGS IN SHAFT OR SPINDLE GROOVES [75] Inventor: Hans Erdmann, Maplewood, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Waldes Kohinoor, lnc., Long Island,

[22] Filed: Sept. 25, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 292,100

{52] U.S. Cl. 29/200 H, 29/200 P, 29/229 [51] Int. Cl B23p 19/00, B23p 19/04 [58] Field of Search 29/200 H, 200 P,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,835,028 5/1958 Wurzel 29/229 Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Jan. 15, 1974 [5 7 ABSTRACT A hand tool mounts plier-like handles at one end of its elongated body member operative through a forcemultiplying leverage system to actuate a reciprocatory slide member throughout a working stroke. Said slide member mounts at its relatively forward end ring-grip means effective to spring-grip an open, bowed-body, spring retaining ring having locking prongs projecting from the convex side or face thereof, against the relatively under-face or side of the tool body member, then acting as an extended-length fixed grip jaw. Thus, as the slide member is actuated throughout its working stroke the gripped ring is correspondingly projected (thrust) along a straight-line path terminating in the groove of a shaft or spindle in which said ring is to be assembled. Means are provided for preventing any uncontrolled turning of the ring about its axis during the course of its aforesaid movement with the slide member, and the body member is further provided in its relatively forward end portion with an eye-form shaft or spindle receiving opening. Groove-locating means affixed to the under side of the body member extend into said opening.

6 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures mimimmsmu 3385037 sum 1 0r 3 lLlll app-m 1 HAND TOOL FOR ASSEMBLING OPEN, BOWIED-BODY RETAINING RINGS HAVING LOCKING PRONGS IN SHAFT OR SPINDLE GROOVES This invention relates to improvements'in hand tools for assembling (installing) open spring retaining rings,

specifically open, bowed-body, spring rings having locking prongs projecting from the convex side or face thereof, i.e. retaining rings as disclosed and claimed in U.S. Fat. to Wurzel No. 2,775,698 dated July 24, 1956, in the circumferential grooves of shafts, spindles and like machine parts provided for their reception.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Up to the present time, such rings which are known in the art as Prong-Lock rings, have been assembled in their shaft or spindle grooves largely by hand applicators of the pushor radial-thrust type disclosed in U.S. Pat. to Wurzel No. 2,835,028 dated May 20, 1958. However, continuing experience in the use of Prong- Lock rings and with the aforementioned hand applicators has demonstrated that because of their bowed configuration and the extent of projection of the locking prongs thereof from their bowed bodies. Prong-Lock rings must be flattened immediately before they are thrust into their grooves or they must instead be flattened by the camming or compressing action which the groove side-walls exert thereon as their ring bodies are forcefully thrust into said grooves in response to radial thrust force applied thereto.

This operation of the ring-body flattening as an incident to the rings being pushed or forced by a hand tool into their grooves is one usually requiring the application of substantial force and can be extremely fatiguing, particularly when repeated at frequent intervals, and thus can result in operator-fatigue and tool damage as well, should the operator to save himself fatigue (as has happened in known instances) use a mallet or hammer on the applicator for the purpose of providing the substantial push or radial thrust force thereto.

Yet another objectionable aspect or feature of the aforementioned ring installation procedure was that, because of the inability of tools of the current and/or standard design types to secure Prong-Lock rings against some unwanted movement, ring movement i.e., turning about its own axis, could not be precisely or positively controlled, with the result that should high impact forces be applied to the tool by a mallet or hammer as aforesaid, not only the ring being installed was likely to suffer damage by virtue of its becoming disoriented during the course of its movement toward and into the groove, but also the groove walls could suffer scoring or scuffing damage occasioned by the prongs of the out-of-position rings moving to locking position thereagainst.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION With the above in mind, the invention contemplates the provision of and provides a hand tool capable of assembling (installing) open, bowed-body, spring retaining rings having locking prongs projecting from the convex side or face thereof, i.e., rings known in the art as Prong-Lock retaining rings, in outwardly opening, circumferential grooves dimensioned and provided for their reception in the peripheral surfaces of shafts, spindles and like machine elements whereon they are adapted to form locked-on artificial retaining shoulders, with 'a minimum of operator effort and without the need of the tool being hit or struck with a mallet, hammer or like impact tool for the purpose of supplying the high force sometimes necessary to seat Prong- Lock rings in their grooves.

Ancillary objects of the invention are the provision of a hand tool as aforesaid incorporating simple yet effective means for gripping a Prong-Lock ring characterized as aforesaid at or along a short arcuate-length, outer-edge portion of the ring body disposed diametrically opposite its gap and thereupon for forcefully thrusting the so-gripped ring relatively forwardly in a straightline path terminating in the shaftor spindle-groove in which the ring is to be installed; the provision of a tool as last aforesaid incorporating simple, practical means for positively controlling the position of a so-gripped Prong-Lock ring about its own axis while it is being thrust forwardly as aforesaid; the provision of a tool for assembling so-called Prong-Lock rings in circumferential grooves provided for the reception thereof which utilizes simple, practical means for accommodating and hooding the projecting locking prongs thereof during the course of ring movement to its groove, and which in so doing also positively prevents dislodgement and- /or turning of the ring about its axis while partaking of movement throughout its intended straight-line path of motion; the provision of a hand tool incorporating simple, practical means at the one end thereof enabling it to be securely, although only temporarily, anchored to the bottom of the groove in which said ring is about to be assembled and in manner as insures automatic flattening of the ring entering said groove.

THE INVENTION The above and other objects and features of improvement of a hand tool for assembling (installing) open, bowed-body spring retaining rings having locking prongs projecting from the convex face or side thereof,

known in the art as Prong-Lock retainers or retaining rings, will be self-evident or appear from the following detailed description thereof, taken with the accompanying illustrative drawing figures, in which- FIG. 1 is a somewhat enlarged perspective view of a Prong-Lock retaining ring for the assembly of which in a shaft or spindle groove a tool according to the invention was designed and has special utility;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are views in top plan and side elevation, respectively, of a hand tool according to the invention, of which FIG. 3 shows said tool in partial section and with the tool handles in their spread-apart position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the hand tool of FIG. 2 looking on to the forward-end, under-side thereof;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on a transverse plane designated 55, FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation similar to FIG. 3 but illustrating the slide member of the tool in its forwardmost position at which it has completed its working stroke;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 4 depicting the slide member and certain parts associated therewith in their respective forwardmost positions;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, illustrating the tool of the invention upon having just completed the installation of a Prong-Lock ring in a shaft or spindle groove;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are under-side plane and longitudinal part-sectional views, respectively, illustrating a modified form of hand tool according to the invention; and

FIGS. 11 and 12 are detail views of simplified leafspring means employed to spring-grip a ring to be assembled against the under face of the tool body acting as an elongate fixed or rigid grip jaw, according to the FIGS. 9 and 10 tool form.

Referring now to the drawing figures in detail, reference numeral 10 designates an elongated, relatively wide strap-form member of metal or equivalent rigid material which serves as the tool body member or frame, the relatively upper surface of which is planar and preferably machined throughout substantially its full length and width, thus to provide a slide surface orway for an appreciably narrower and shorter (see FIGS. 3 and 6) slide member 12 mounted thereon for translatory or reciprocatory movement from and to a normal retracted position in which, illustratively, its rear-end edge l2e is vertically aligned with the rearend edge le of the tool body member 10. Said slide member 12 is held to said body-member upper surface by fixed position, longitudinally spaced-apart shoulder screws 14a, 14b threaded into said body member but whose upper non-threaded shank portions operate in an elongate slot 16 provided in an intermediate lengthportion of said slide member. Preferably, the spacing between and the longitudinal positioning of the shoulder screws, taken with the length of the slot 16, are factors which determine the stroke length or travel of the slide member 12.

According to the invention, the slide member 12 is translated forwardly i.e., actuated throughout its working stroke, by handoperated i.e., plier-handle type, means which incorporates a forcemultiplying leverage system ofa design capable, responsive to relative closing of the plier-arms or handles of said means, of greatly reducing the physical effect required to be exerted by the operator in flattening and seating a Prong-Lock ring in its shaft or spindle groove, as compared to tools available at the present time for such purpose. More particularly, said hand-operated means comprises a plier-arm 24 which is fixedly secured at its forward end to the relatively rearward end of the tool body member by shoulder screw 26a, 26b, thus to extend in longitudinal continuation of said body member, and a companion pivotally mounted arm or handle 28 which latter preferably comprises one (the longer) arm of a bell-crank 30 fulcrumed for bodily swinging motion about a transversely extending pin 32 journalled in the apex portions of a pair of bracket formations 34a (34b) affixed along their geometrical-base sides to the relatively under side of the body member 10 near its rearward end portion, as by longitudinally spaced-apart screws, optionally the aforementioned screws 26a, 26b.

The other (shorter) arm 36 of the bell-crank 30 extends upwardly to approximately the under side of the body member 10 and mounts at its relatively upper free end a hardened-metal extension part 38 having length such that its upper end, which illustratively has the configuration of a rounded nose 38n, projects upwardly into and thru an elongated slot-like opening 40 machined or otherwise provided in the body member 10 near its rearward end portion, and further such that its rounded nose 38n projects into a short-length eyeopening 42 provided in the rearend portion of the slide member 12, the eye-opening being dimensioned to receive said nose 38n with the minimum of lost motion.

A coil spring 46 extends between and is operatively connected at its ends to the fixed-position plier-arm or handle 24 and the shorter arm 36 of the bell-crank 30, thus normally maintaining the plier arms in their spread-apart position and by design, the slide member 12 in its retracted position in which it is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. However, when the plier arms 24,28 are brought together in use of the tool to their relative positions shown for example in FIG. 6 (as by squeeze pressure applied thereto by the hand of an operator), the slide member 12 is projected or translated forwardly throughout its working stroke against the relatively light opposing bias of the slide-member retracting spring 46.

It is a feature of the FIGS. 1-8 form of the invention that although the slide member 12 is mounted to slide on the upper side or face of the body member 10, its movement therealong on its forward (working) stroke is utilized to advance a Prong-Lock" ring disposed with the convex face or side of its ring body gripped tight with substantial spring pressure to the under side or face of the body member 10, from an assembly read or retracted position along a straight-line path of travel terminating at the groove of the shaft or spindle in which said ring is to be installed, assuming of course that the tool has been coupled to said shaft or spindle in manner to be described hereinafter.

Said ring gripping means comprises in the first instance the under surface of the body member 10 (which serves as an extendedlength stationary grip jaw) and the forward, transversely extending upper surface 50 of a generally horizontal flange 52 which is translatable with the slide member 12 and equally important, is biased in relatively upward direction to press tight against said under surface of the body member. Illustratively, said biasing means comprises a double-leaf spring 54 disposed to extend transversely through an eye 56e formed in a planar upright eye-plate 56 affixed to and extending relatively upwardly from said flange by an amount such that it projects through a longitudinal slot 58 in the forward-end portion of the body member 10 and also through a short-length opening 58e provided in the slide member 12 near its front-end. By reference to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 in particular, said doubleleaf spring 54 thus operates to pull the flange 52 in relatively upward direction against said under surface of the body member 10 with a force which by design is adequate to firmly grip the edge portion of the body of a ring disposed between said flange grip surface 50 and the under surface of the body member. FIGS. 3 and 8 also show that the flange grip-surface 50 inclines relatively downwardly from its affixed eye-plate 56 and terminates in a relatively sharp transverse edge 50e which, by design, is spaced from (relatively below) the under surface of the body member serving as the aforementioned stationary grip-jaw by a small amount corresponding substantially to the thickness of the metal from which the ring bodies of Prong-Lock" rings are conventionally fashioned. Thus said flange front edge 50e is capable of functioning as a knife edge which is adapted to knife in between the endmost and next endmost rings of a supply column of Prong-Lock rings, thereby to separate said endmost ring from the ring column preliminary to gripping the same for lateral withdrawal from said column.

According to yet another feature of the invention,-

58.along which the upright eye-plate 56 of the aforedescribed ring-gripping means moves with the slide member 12, as the latter is actuated throughout its working stroke responsive to closing of the plier handles. Said opening 60 is somewhat elongated and is further ofa size enabling said body member and hence the tool as a whole to be properly related or coupled to a shaft or spindle having a groove into which a Prong- Lock ring is to be assembled, simply by bringing the tool to a position in which its said opening 60 is disposed in registry with said shaft or spindle and then shifting said tool over the shaft or spindle end and axially therealong to a position in which the tool is in the general plane of said groove.

To assist the operator (workman) in locating the groove, the invention further provides groove locator means comprising a blade 62 fixedly secured to the under face of the body member 10 and which projects into opening 60 from the forwardmost arcuate defining edge thereofa distance substantially equal to the depth of the shaft or spindle groove. Preferably, either said locator blade per se or the under face of the body mem ber I0 to which'the blade is affixed is inclined by a small angle (approximately 5) out of the plane of the under side of the body member proper, such inclination having been determined in practice as one facilitating the flattening of the ring during the course of its being forcibly thrust into the groove.

From the foregoing brief description thereof,it will be understood that the groove locator means, i.e., the

blade 62, serves the dual purposes (a) of enabling the operator correctly to locate the tool in relation to a shaft or spindle groove in which a Prong-Lock ring gripped by the tool is to be assembled and (b) of taking the pressure from the ring as it is progressively flattened by being forced into said groove.

As forecast earlier in the statement of objects herein, means are also provided for positively maintaining ring orientation about its own axis during the course of its being forcibly thrust forwardly with the slide member 12. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 7, such means illustratively comprises two straightway-extending, longitudinal, prong-receiving grooves 66a, 66b machined or otherwise provided in the under side or surface of the body member 10. More particularly, said grooves are disposed symmetrically to the sides of the tool center line; they are spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the lateral spacing between the prongs of a Prong-Lock ring, and finally they have depth such that they comfortably receive the prongs of said ring. Thus, said grooves function to guide a ring gripped by the tool in a straight-line path and they also positively prevent any misorientation of the ring as it is being oriented (about its own axis) so that its gap faces or opens toward the forward end of the body member 10; and its two prongs accommodated in the longitudinal guide slots 66a, 66b provided in the under side of said body member as aforesaid. The tool is then coupled to and properly located with respect to thecircumferential groove of the shaft or spindle in which the ring assembly is to be effected, as provides for the locator blade 62 being now hooked to the groove bottom and the tool being held at an approximate 5 angle to the top or end surface of said shaft or spindle. In a final assembly operation, the operator by hand-squeeze pressure applied thereto closes the plier-like handles 24, 28, as results in the slide member 12 being forcibly projected or translated throughout its working stroke responsively to counter-clockwise motion imparted to the nose end 38n (acting as a push cam) of the shorter arm 36 of the force-multiplying bell-crank 30 and correspondingly in the ring being thrust forwardly in a straight-line path and thence into its groove, during the course of which latter movement it is automatically flattened. Upon an assembly operation having been effected, the plier-arms or handles are permitted to move to their open or spread-apart position and they so move under the bias of the handle-opening and also slidemember retracting spring 46. The tool may now be uncoupled from the shaft or spindle by moving the same axially therealong toward and past the shaft or spindleend face and thereafter readied for the next ring assembling operation.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-12 inclusive, such illustrate an alternate design of hand tool which operates on the same principle as that of the FIGS. 1-8 tool form, although differing therefrom in the following structural respects:

The slide member 12A thereof, rather than being held against and slidable on the upper face of the tool body member 10A, is instead held against the under face of the tool body member 10A by shoulder screws 14A,14B for sliding movement therealong and is actuated throughout its forward or working stroke by forcemultiplying means comprising bell crank 30A turning on a pivot 32A which is journaled above said tool body member 10A, whereby its shorter arm 36A extends relatively downwardly, rather than upwardly, as in the prior described FIGS. l-8 form. Said shorter arm 36A terminates in a nose end 38A which closely fits an eyeform opening 42A provided in the rearward portion of the slide member 12A. Thus, the slide member 12A slides on the under face of the body member 10A when actuated throughout its forward or working stroke responsive to closing movement of the plier-like handles 24A,28A.

According to the alternate tool design, simple leafspring ring gripping means is affixed to the forward end of the slide member 12A for bodily forward and rearward movement therewith. Reference being had to FIGS. 11 and 12, said leaf-spring means comprises an elongate leaf-spring having a thickened or butt end 70 socketed in a correspondingly shaped recess provided in the forward-end, upper surface of the slide member, being secured in said recess by screws 708, a relatively elongated leaf-spring proper 72 extending therefrom and having near its forward or free end an upwardly projecting guide lug or key formed 74 thereon, said leaf-spring proper terminating in a ring gripping surface 76 corresponding to the ring gripping surface 50 of the prior described tool form of FIGS. l8. As best seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the upwardly projecting guide lug 74 extends into and closely fits an elongate groove 58A which opens into the shaft or spindle-end receiving opening 60A.

The under face of the tool body member 10A may also be provided with longitudinal grooves 66A, and 663 disposed to the sides of said elongate groove 58A, into which grooves the locking prongs of a ring being installed or assembled will extend during forward ring movement. Thus, not only are the ring prongs effectively hooded, but also a ring spring-gripped against the under face of the body member 10A;is positively held against uncontrolled turning movement about its axis.

Without further analysis, it will be appreciated that a hand tool according to each of the two forms thereof described and illustrated achieves the stated objects of the invention as outlined in the foregoing in simply yet highly effective and dependable manner. However, as changes and/or modifications in too] construction are possible of being devised without departing from the herein inventive concept, it is intended that all matter described and/or illustrated shall be interpreted as illustrative and not as limiting.

What is claimed is:

l. A hand tool for assembling open, bowed-body spring retaining rings in shaft or spindle grooves provided for their reception comprising, in combination: an elongate rigid strap-form body member; a slide member mounted for guided reciprocatory movement therealong from and to a normal retracted position; ring gripping means movable with the slide member and being operative to grip a ring to be assembled against the relatively under face of the body member; said body member having in its forward-end portion a shaft and/or spindle receiving eye-form opening and mounting groove-locating means extending into said opening; and hand-manipulable force-multiplying means operative between the corresponding rear-end portions of said body and slide members for imparting guided sliding movement to said slide member in relatively forward direction and corresponding guided movement to a ring gripped against the under face of the body member in readiness for assembly along a path terminating in the groove ofa shaft or spindle extending thru said eye-form opening.

2. A hand tool according to claim 1 for assembling rings characterized as aforesaid and which are additionally provided with locking prongs, and wherein said ring gripping means is effective to grip a ring arranged with its gap opening relatively forwardly and with its convex side disposed towards said under face of the body member and correspondingly with its prongs being directed towards said under face, said under face of the body member being provided with two longitudinal straight-way extending grooves which are spaced laterally from one another a distance corresponding to the lateral spacing of said ring-provided prongs, the construction and arrangement being such that when saidprongs are received in said grooves they act in concert with said grooves to maintain the ring against any turning movement during the course of its movement with said slide member.

3. A hand tool according to claim 1, wherein said slide member is mounted for sliding movement along the upper surface of the body member and said ring gripping means includes a longitudinally moveable grip surface which is spring-biased relatively upwardly against the under surface of the body member.

4. A hand tool according to claim 1, wherein said slide member is mounted for sliding movement along the under surface of the body member and said ring gripping means comprises an undersurface length portion of the body member acting as an extended-length stationary grip-jaw and leaf spring means affixed to the forward end of the slide member and extending longitudinally therefrom, said leaf spring means having a forward end portion which is spring pressed against said extended-length stationary grip-jaw surface.

5. A hand tool according to claim 1, wherein said groove locating means comprises a groove-finding blade affixed to the under surface of the body member and extending relatively rearwardly into said shaft and- /or spindle receiving opening a distance substantially equal to the depth of a shaft and/or spindle groove.

6. A hand tool according to claim 5, wherein said under surface to which the blade is affixed as aforesaid and said blade are inclined from the general plane of the tool body member by an angle of approximately 5. 

1. A hand tool for assembling open, bowed-body spring retaining rings in shaft or spindle grooves provided for their reception comprising, in combiNation: an elongate rigid strap-form body member; a slide member mounted for guided reciprocatory movement therealong from and to a normal retracted position; ring gripping means movable with the slide member and being operative to grip a ring to be assembled against the relatively under face of the body member; said body member having in its forward-end portion a shaft and/or spindle receiving eye-form opening and mounting groove-locating means extending into said opening; and handmanipulable force-multiplying means operative between the corresponding rear-end portions of said body and slide members for imparting guided sliding movement to said slide member in relatively forward direction and corresponding guided movement to a ring gripped against the under face of the body member in readiness for assembly along a path terminating in the groove of a shaft or spindle extending thru said eye-form opening.
 2. A hand tool according to claim 1 for assembling rings characterized as aforesaid and which are additionally provided with locking prongs, and wherein said ring gripping means is effective to grip a ring arranged with its gap opening relatively forwardly and with its convex side disposed towards said under face of the body member and correspondingly with its prongs being directed towards said under face, said under face of the body member being provided with two longitudinal straight-way extending grooves which are spaced laterally from one another a distance corresponding to the lateral spacing of said ring-provided prongs, the construction and arrangement being such that when said prongs are received in said grooves they act in concert with said grooves to maintain the ring against any turning movement during the course of its movement with said slide member.
 3. A hand tool according to claim 1, wherein said slide member is mounted for sliding movement along the upper surface of the body member and said ring gripping means includes a longitudinally moveable grip surface which is spring-biased relatively upwardly against the under surface of the body member.
 4. A hand tool according to claim 1, wherein said slide member is mounted for sliding movement along the under surface of the body member and said ring gripping means comprises an undersurface length portion of the body member acting as an extended-length stationary grip-jaw and leaf spring means affixed to the forward end of the slide member and extending longitudinally therefrom, said leaf spring means having a forward end portion which is spring pressed against said extended-length stationary grip-jaw surface.
 5. A hand tool according to claim 1, wherein said groove locating means comprises a groove-finding blade affixed to the under surface of the body member and extending relatively rearwardly into said shaft and/or spindle receiving opening a distance substantially equal to the depth of a shaft and/or spindle groove.
 6. A hand tool according to claim 5, wherein said under surface to which the blade is affixed as aforesaid and said blade are inclined from the general plane of the tool body member by an angle of approximately 5*. 